Sewickley Valley Historical Society

XXXVIII, Number 4 Signals March 2011 Wednesday, March 16, at 7:30 p.m. Sewickley Heights History Center, 1901 Glen Mitchell Road Elizabeth Dohrman Thaw A presentation by John Canning & David Grinnell of the Allegheny City Society

ne of Sewickley Heights’ great estates was As You Like It, seen Oin the aerial photo at left. It was built as a summer home by Elizabeth Dohrman Thaw, widow of William Thaw, Jr., a coal merchant who was a half-brother of Harry Thaw, notorious for his 1906 shooting of architect on the roof of the old Madison Square Garden. (See page 2 of this newsletter.) The 44-room Tudor Revival mansion, designed by architect George S. Orth and completed in 1902, was truly a summer home: it had no central heating. The estate was landscaped by John C. Olmsted, stepson of Frederick Law Olmsted, the creator of Central Park. In 1939 the house was demolished at the order of Mrs. Thaw, and the site became a subdivision, “Thawmont.”

The life and career of Elizabeth Dohrman Thaw, who, after her husband’s sudden death became a pioneer of civic reform in Pittsburgh, will be the primary focus of this presentation. We will also have on display several items of Thaw memorabilia from the collection of Ted Stevenson, a Thaw descendant. John Canning was a history teacher in the Mt. Lebanon schools David Grinnell is chief archivist at the Heinz History Center. He from 1963 to 2001. A lifelong resident of the North Side and Vice is also on the Board of the Allegheny City Society and is a member President of the Allegheny City Society, over the past decade of the Western Archives and History Commission he has helped organize programs that help to tell the history of of the United Methodist Church. A graduate of Albion College, what was, until 1907, Allegheny City. John is also involved with he is at present a doctoral student at Pitt’s School of Library and the OASIS program for active seniors, which meets at Macy’s Information Science. David’s interests include local history, in Pittsburgh, where he has presented lectures related to Western Methodist history, genealogy and, particularly, Charles Avery and Pennsylvania history and organized day trips to sites of historic the abolitionist movement in Western Pennsylvania. interest.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS PROGRAM WILL BE HELD AT SEWICKLEY HEIGHTS HISTORY CENTER.

The mission of the Sewickley Valley Historical Society is to promote interest in and to record, collect, preserve, and document the history of the Sewickley Valley. Signals March 2011 Who Was Harry Thaw? lthough Harry Kendall Thaw is often associated with Sewickley Heights, it is unlikely that he Aever did more than visit here. He was the son of William Thaw, Sr. (1818-1889), and his second wife, Mary S. Copley Thaw (1842-1929). Harry’s half-brother was William Thaw, Jr. (1853-1892), son of William Thaw, Sr., and his first wife, Eliza Burd Blair Thaw (died 1863). William, Jr., was married to Elizabeth Dorhman (1854-1948), whose summer house on Blackburn Road was As You Like It. Thus, Harry was Elizabeth Dohrman Thaw’s (half) brother-in-law. In his memoir, The Traitor, Being the Untampered With, Unrevised Account of the Trial and All That Led to It (, Dorrance and Company Publishers, 1926), Thaw states on pages 18-19, “… we did start the Allegheny Country Club, with the golf links in the Homewood Driving Park, Blair Painter, Remsen Messler, Win Sewell, Willie Murray, Hen Chalfant, John Morehead [sic], Frank Carnegie and I.” This statement seems, however, to be inaccurate. Thaw appears to be remembering golf with his friends at the old Pittsburgh Golf Club. In the words of John Moorhead, Jr., describing that club, “…on the center of the old Homestead race course, I got six old pea cans [and] laid these out as well as possible…I subsequently laid out the old course of the Allegheny Country Club on California Avenue, in Allegheny, and had there really the pioneer golf course [in Western Pennsylvania].” The Harry Kendall Thaw (1871-1947) Allegheny Country Club was founded in 1895, a year when Harry Thaw was abroad. Richard E. Spatz’s The History of Allegheny Country Club: The First One Hundred Years (Allegheny Country Club, 1995) contains no roster of the 1895 founding members, but there are records from 1899 that do not list Harry Thaw as a member; only Mrs. William Thaw, Jr., is listed as an Associate Member. The roster from 1902, when the Club moved to Sewickley Heights, lists the following Thaws: Josiah C. (Harry’s brother), William (probably William, III, Harry’s nephew) and Benjamin (Harry’s half- brother) as active members and Mrs. William Thaw, Jr., as an Associate Member. Harry Thaw is buried in . New Members Frances Love Merryman, Sewickley Friends, Sponsors, Patrons, Benefactors Thanks to the following, who have generously supported the Sewickley Valley Historical Society with gifts in addition to membership dues: George J. Berry, III; David J. Sautter The Nominating Committee The following members have been named to the Sewickley Valley Historical Society Nominating Committee and will report to the membership at the program meeting on March 16, 2011. Nancy Baldwin, Chair Brewster Cockrell, Barb Frey, Maleet Gordon, William Kleeman If you have suggestions for officers or directors of SVHS, please contact one of these individuals. The election will be held at the Annual Meeting, Wednesday, May 18, 2011.

Moon Genealogy Club A Recent Gift Whether you’re just curious or have been doing genealogical The three-volume Genealogical and Personal History of Western research for a long time, you’re invited to talk with other amateur Pennsylvania (John W. Jordan, Editor-in-Chief, New York, Lewis genealogists at the Moon Genealogy Club’s monthly meetings Historical Publishing Company, 1915) was presented to the at the Moon Library. The meetings are on Thursdays at 6:30 Sewickley Valley Historical Society by Ava Maria Chamberlain p.m. Upcoming dates include March 10th, April 14th, May Shaughnessy in memory of her parents, Ralph and Mary Pass 12th and June 9th. For more information, contact the Club at Chamberlain. These handsomely illustrated volumes will be of [email protected]. great assistance to us in our genealogical research.

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The following is excerpted from a paper delivered by Mrs Robert Wardrop (Agnes Dawson Miller, 1853-1941) at the Edgeworth Club, April 11, 1932, on the thirty-fifth anniversary of the Woman’s Club of Sewickley Valley. Sewickley in 1897 y subject this afternoon is early Sewickley—hoping in to give the class some idea of grammar and pronunciation, but Ma very informal way, to tell something of its habits, aims, the real result was the reading of a large number of French books, occupations, amusements, etc., and to give my own idea of how more or less intimacy with a French grammar and a fondness for a unconsciously for many years it was preparing its feminine French Bible with which to compare our King James version. population for the organization of a Woman’s Club which has Another delightful class met in the old Academy Building, which always been interested in literature and music stood on this property [the Edgeworth Club] especially, and in the higher life generally. where the tennis courts are now. One of the Mr. John I. Nevin and Dr. Bittinger of the Professors there taught Shakespeare in one Presbyterian Church organized a history class of the class rooms. Hamlet made the deepest here in 1865, which developed into what is impression on my mind, but the class itself now known as Query Club—dear to many remains a delightful memory. of us—and which is still actively engaged in During all of this time there was always great the study of literature and history. interest in music: the Choral Club for years Another smaller group was led by that dear gave most attractive concerts, and many fine friend of happy memories, Dr. Van Cleve, voices were cultivated in Sewickley. where we studied English History most Another organization that played an important informally and energetically. One of the part in Sewickley life was Miss Chaplin’s most amusing recollections of those days was Dancing Class. No child’s education was the habit our wise teacher had, when interest considered finished until he or she had taken was flagging a little, to ask some question part in the Annual Cotillion and had been kept concerning Cromwell. That was enough: off up to the highest standard of good manners we went. Liberals and Conservatives were in the dancing class, and some who were not just as different then as they are now. children enjoyed many evenings under the The Dramatic Club was organized in 1886, Mrs. Robert Wardrop capable leadership of this graceful teacher. which entertained its members with several Then came the “Wheel”, a class led by plays each year: how we looked forward to these events! “Courtesy Mrs. Charles Bassett, a stranger in our midst, full of energy and Cards” were issued and guests from the city were invited to dinner organizing ability. We read and studied many subjects, and listened and the play, and what cared we for muddy roads as we drove to with the deepest interest to the leader’s expositions concerning Choral Hall to see our friends perform, and to watch the young them. This class was the real cornerstone of the Woman’s Club, people dance afterwards, or, if one was so inclined, take part in and its members were charter members of the new organization. these festivities. One feature of these evenings always brought forth approbation and applause. Of course, the performance nearly But one may ask—What else did Sewickley people do, as well as always continued until the last train to the city was due—and follow all of these more or less intellectual pursuits? Well, among the railroad was our only means of traveling at that time. When our amusements, many of you will remember, picnics were one of lateness seemed imminent, Mr. Oliver Richardson or Mr. A. B. our standard performances. There was no bridge across the river Starr, a Railroad official, would announce that our guests need not at the time of which I write, but there were two ferries, Stoops, be uneasy, for the train would wait at Sewickley Station until the about one-half mile down the river from Sewickley Station, and play was over. Even a great organization like the Penna. awaited Lashiel’s, which crossed the river from the foot of Chestnut Street. our convenience! What fun we had crossing at either place and climbing the hills on the other side, loaded with baskets and the paraphernalia of Another organization that was interesting to a chosen few was a our excursion. One of the well-known places, near a spring, was Current Topics Class, led by Mrs. M. I. Coffin Graff. “Woman’s called “Camel Back” whence we had a magnificent view of the place was in the home” in those days, and it was quite an experience Sewickley Valley. The Monday picnics at this spot were a feature to have Mrs. Graff give us an idea of what was going on in the for many summers world about us. Some of us may owe our devotion to the daily papers and our interest in world politics to that class. Mrs. Graff It was after crossing one of these ferries that one of our most had also a small class to which she tried to teach some French, delightful excursions was taken—to Frankfort Springs. This is a with rather poor results, but another class, with the same object in question of a few hours now, but in the Eighties it meant horses to view, was organized in 1892 and for thirty-four years met more or ride, buggies to drive, and a few hardy souls walked. It meant a less regularly once a week, winter and summer. There were three supper and a night at the hotel, always properly chaperoned, and or four French teachers engaged during that time, who managed always too, an enthusiastic jollification. 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March 2011

(Sewickley in 1897, continued)

Another delightful spot, where picnics were a joy, was called We have all grown so accustomed to comforts here in this village “Turkey Foot”, where the Umbstaetter Camp for Boy Scouts is that it is well sometimes to recall the days when we had no running now. And Winter as well as Summer, we went to old Economy, water, but used cisterns; when we had no electricity and, in some where we experienced the rather grudging hospitality of the parts of the valley, no gas, so used oil lamps when we had no fuel Economites, ate their ginger cakes and looked at their beautiful gas, and used coal; when we remember that sometimes the cistern gardens and quaint houses. was dry. Also, sometimes the ‘hired man’ fell down the back stairs carrying the ash pan. We wonder why we look back with so many And then in the early ‘90s came the bicycle. It is amusing now to happy memories, but we never felt sorry for ourselves. Sewickley recall how we thought space was annihilated by bicycles; before was always contented with Sewickley. We knew all “these things that epoch, almost everyone that could went driving Summer would be added to us” sometime, and we were young, and youth evenings, and to go to the junction of the roads, where the generally takes things lightly. Darlington house now stands, and home again, was considered a reasonable performance for one evening, and that was only I make no pretensions to critical judgment where our valley possible in dry weather, as we had only dirt roads then. is concerned: from the first week that I spent in it, I have been absolutely prejudiced in its favor, and when some dear lady who We had our own customs in those days, among them calls of various has just come here, homesick for her own friends and place, makes kinds. In the Spring, when the new suit was fresh, afternoons were a derogatory remark about Sewickley, I listen with astonishment: spent returning calls, and a great acquaintance was kept up. One she nearly always joins the chorus later, if she stays long enough, always called on new neighbors, and always made party calls; a for we are a friendly folk and we soon take her to our hearts and reasonable time after a dinner or a luncheon, a call was made upon show her what real suburban life is; where neighbors mean friends one’s hostess; but the custom died a natural death after automobiles who rejoice with each other in prosperity, sympathize with each made parties and festivities of various kinds so frequent it was other in sorrow, and help each other, and enjoy each other at all impossible to keep up these formalities. times.

Signals is designed and edited by Susan C. Holton. Visit our website, www.sewickleyhistory.org — e-mail us at [email protected] — or call us at 412-741-5315. We’re open 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, or by appointment.